Cut to the News
Cut through the clutter to today's top news
June 29, 2020
Good morning
Welcome to today's top news.
Leading the News . . .
US likely to see pharmaceutical drug shortage . . . . With coronavirus outbreaks continuing to spread across the world, the United States is "likely" to see a shortage of generic pharmaceutical drugs, according to a new federal intelligence report. The report, prepared by the Department of Homeland Security and distributed Thursday to law enforcement and government agencies around the country, warned that the U.S. is already seeing
shortages of more than 200 drugs and medical supplies due to strains on the supply chain caused by international shutdowns early on in the pandemic. Those shortages would only be made worse should unchecked outbreaks force yet another round of widespread shutdowns, the analysts concluded, further straining the system in a way that many U.S.-based pharmaceutical companies would be "unable to quickly offset." "Chinese factories that produce raw ingredients for common antibiotics closed for weeks
as of March and India's lockdown extended until the end of May," the report said, citing news reports. ABC News
Thanks a lot, globalists. The Davos crowd will all get their meds. Bring manufacturing back to the United States.
Nearly half of US COVID-19 deaths related to nursing homes . . . At least 54,000 residents and workers have died from the coronavirus at nursing homes and other long-term care facilities for older adults in the United States, according to a New York Times database. As of June 26, the virus has infected more than 282,000 people at some 12,000 facilities. While 11 percent of the country’s cases have occurred in long-term care
facilities, deaths related to Covid-19 in these facilities account for more than 43 percent of the country’s pandemic fatalities. New York Times
World Coronavirus death toll tops half a million . . . The death toll from COVID-19 surpassed half a million people on Sunday. While the overall rate of death has flattened in recent weeks, health experts have expressed concerns about record numbers of new cases in countries like the United States, India and Brazil, as well as new outbreaks in parts of Asia. Reuters
HHS secretary warns "the window is closing" to get virus under control . . . Secretary of Health and Human Services Alex Azar has issued a dire warning that the 'window is closing' for the United States to get the coronavirus crisis under control as states see new alarming spikes in cases and the number of infections jumps by more than 40,000 for the third day in a row. 'Things are very different from two months ago... So it is a
very different situation, but this is a very, very serious situation and the window is closing for us to take action and get this under control,' Azar said on CNN to Jake Tapper. Daily Mail
Pence urges Americans to wear masks . . . Vice President Pence on Sunday implored Americans to wear face masks, practice social distancing and stay away from senior citizens to protect them amid a new spike in coronavirus infections as the United States surpassed 2.5 million confirmed cases. At an event in Dallas, Pence commended Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) for scaling back some reopening measures, including ordering bars to close and
restaurants to reduce occupancy. Washington Post
Pelosi calls for mask mandate . . . House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said a nationwide requirement to wear face masks is “long overdue” during a Sunday appearance on ABC’s “This Week.” The wearing of face masks as an attempt to
control the spread of coronavirus has become a hotly debated issue of late with Democrats tending to be in favor of mandatory masking and many Republicans taking the position that such a policy is an unenforceable governmental overreach. Earlier this week, presumptive Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden said he would issue an executive order that would require all Americans to wear face masks. Daily Caller
Democrats already eliminating free speech. Other freedoms to follow.
American Academy of Pediatrics says schools should reopen with students present . . . The AAP wrote: 'The importance of in-person learning is well-documented, and there is already evidence of the negative impacts on children because of school closures in the spring of 2020.' According to the AAP, 'lengthy time away from school and associated interruption of supportive services often results in social isolation, making it difficult for
schools to identify and address important learning deficits as well as child and adolescent physical or sexual abuse, substance use, depression, and suicidal ideation'. Daily Mail
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Trump says intel on Russia-Taliban bounty was not credible . . . President Trump on Sunday night said the reason he wasn’t briefed on Russia’s alleged bounty to the Taliban to kill US forces in Afghanistan is because intelligence officials didn’t find the report credible. “Intel just reported to me that they did not find this info credible, and therefore did not report it to me or @VP,” the president tweeted.
“Possibly another fabricated Russia Hoax, maybe by the Fake News @nytimesbooks, wanting to make Republicans look bad!!!” Earlier Sunday, the president backed up White House claims that he and Pence were unaware of the alleged bounty. New York Post
Record gun purchase could spur new class of Trump voters . . . The record-breaking gun sales during the coronavirus pandemic could bolster candidates that support the Second Amendment in 2020 and alter the course of American gun politics for the foreseeable future. Several of the country's leading gun-rights groups are working to convert many more first-time owners into new gun-rights voters in the run-up to the 2020 election. Amy Hunter,
a spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, said that the group's success could change the political landscape at the local, state, and national level. Washington Free Beacon
Bannon trying to change Trump campaign strategy . . . Steve Bannon has some ideas about how the Trump campaign should be run. I would assume one of those ideas is that it should be run by him.
I wouldn’t be surprised if Trump eventually turned to Bannon. It worked out well last time. Okay, so he insulted the kids. They want a second term too. According to the Washington Examiner: Former White House chief strategist and Trump 2016 campaign chief Steve Bannon has raised the alarm this week over a faltering campaign, speaking out
publicly and privately for an end to a rally-based strategy, leaving Trump insiders to wonder whether he is maneuvering for a return to influence. White House Dossier
Rolling Stones threaten to sue Trump over use of songs . . . The Rolling Stones are threatening President Donald Trump with legal action for using their songs at his rallies despite cease-and-desist directives. The Stones had complained during Trump’s 2016 campaign about the use of their music to fire up his conservative base at rallies. The Rolling Stones’ 1969 classic “You Can’t Always Get What You Want” was a popular song for
his events. Politico
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Gordon Chang: Chinese communists want Biden to be president . . . China expert Gordon Chang says the Chinese Communists know they have more to lose with President Trump in the White House. “I think that they probably would like to see Vice President Biden elected. You know, both candidates have vulnerabilities on China, but President Trump’s attitudes on China are much more resolute,” Chang said. “Biden has said some things that
are deeply troubling, including those comments from May 1 of last year, when he said that China is not competition for the U.S., which is manifestly wrong, and he said that Chinese leaders were good folks. So, that is really a cause of concern for Americans.” Chang said China is starting to use “the Russian method of trolls and bot farms” to influence the vote. White House Dossier
I assume Adam Schiff will want to investigate Biden-China collusion.
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Gunmen attack Pakistani stock exchange . . . Four gunmen attacked the Pakistani stock exchange in Karachi, killing two guards and a policeman and wounding seven others before being shot dead.
The assailants launched a grenade attack at the main gate to the building and opened fire but police say they failed to make it to the trading floor. Staff inside took refuge in locked rooms and many were evacuated. Security forces are searching the area.
Militants from the Baloch Liberation Army say they were behind the attack. Ethnic Baloch groups have fought a long-running insurgency for a separate homeland and a greater share of resources in Pakistan's Balochistan province. BBC
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Bankers can't tell who is creditworthy . . . Banks have pulled back sharply on lending to U.S. consumers during the coronavirus crisis. One reason: They can’t tell who is creditworthy anymore. Millions of Americans are out of work and behind on their debts. But, in many cases, the missed payments aren’t reflected in their credit scores, nor are they uniformly recorded on borrowers’ credit reports. The confusion stems from a
provision in the government’s coronavirus stimulus package. The law says lenders that allow borrowers to defer their debt payments can’t report these payments as late to credit-reporting companies. Wall Street Journal
Supreme Court LGBT ruling threatens small businesses . . . Small businesses are bracing for costly new legal battles born of this month’s Supreme Court ruling that expands workplace sex discrimination claims to include gay and transgender employees. The decision threatens to hit some small businesses with litigation in an area that they haven’t had to deal with until now. Most big corporations, several of which backed
the LGBTQ employees in the legal battle at the high court, already have LGBTQ protections cemented in contracts because they typically operate in multiple states. Washington Times
Zuckerberg loses $7 Billion . . . Mark Zuckerberg just became $7.2 billion poorer after a flurry of companies pulled advertising from Facebook Inc.’s network. Shares of the social media company fell 8.3% on Friday, the
most in three months, after Unilever, one of the world’s largest advertisers, joined other brands in boycotting ads on the social network. Unilever said it would stop spending money with Facebook’s properties this year. The share-price drop eliminated $56 billion from Facebook’s market value and pushed Zuckerberg’s net worth down to $82.3 billion, according to the Bloomberg Billionaires Index. That also moved the Facebook chief executive officer down one notch to fourth place, overtaken by Louis Vuitton boss Bernard Arnault, who was elevated to one of the world’s three richest people along with Jeff Bezos and Bill Gates. Companies from Verizon Communications Inc. to Hershey
Co. have also stopped social media ads after critics said that Facebook has failed to sufficiently police hate speech and disinformation on the platform. Bloomberg
He's fine. Chump change. Zuckerberg keeps $7 billion in the jar on his dresser.
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Golden State Killer to admit to 88 crimes . . . Claude Snelling was the first, gunned down outside his Visalia home in 1975 as a man then known as the “Visalia Ransacker” was trying to abduct his daughter. Brian and Katie
Maggiore were next, a young couple walking their dog at night in Rancho Cordova in February 1978 when a man in a ski mask chased them down and shot them both to death. Over the next eight years, 10 more people would be killed — some of them raped — and dozens of others would be
sexually assaulted in a rampage that had remained a mystery for 40 years until the April 2018 arrest of Joseph James DeAngelo. On Monday, the 74-year-old former police officer is expected to plead guilty to being the man known variously as the East Area Rapist, Golden State Killer, Visalia Ransacker and a number of other nicknames. Sacramento Bee
Mississippi to ditch flag with Confederate emblem . . . The Mississippi flag with its Confederate battle emblem is expected to come down across the state in the coming days as lawmakers voted overwhelmingly Sunday to choose a new banner. House Bill 1796 removes the current flag and begins the process of picking another design. The bill now goes to Gov. Tate Reeves, who has pledged he will sign it. The historic vote followed days of
heated debate and pressure from business and religious leaders, government officials, colleges and athletes to remove it. The NCAA and SEC said championship events would not be held in the state until the flag changed. Mississippi's is the only flag to include the Confederate battle emblem in its design. Mississippi Clarion Ledger
Beyonce to release album "Black is King" . . . Disney Plus announced a new visual album from Beyoncé — “Black Is King,” inspired by “The Lion King” — is coming to the streaming service next month. “Black Is King,” written, directed and executive produced by Beyoncé, will premiere globally on July 31, 2020. “‘Black Is King’ is a celebratory memoir for the world on the Black experience,” Disney and Beyoncé’s Parkwood Entertainment
said. “The film is a story for the ages that informs and rebuilds the present. A reunion of cultures and shared generational beliefs. A story of how the people left most broken have an extraordinary gift and a purposeful future. Fox News
Wealthy couple emerges from mansion with firearms aimed at protestors . . . A couple brandished an AR-15 and a handgun at protesters marching past their mansion in an upscale St. Louis neighborhood. Husband and wife, Mark and Patricia McCloskey could be seen aiming the guns at demonstrators who walked by their palatial property in the wealthy Forest Park area at around 6pm on Sunday. At one point, the pair seemed to be unknowingly
pointing their weapons at one another other while trying to keep protesters away from their home - dubbed the Niemann Mansion. The pair are both personal injury lawyers and run McCloskey Law Center from inside their extravagant home. Daily Mail
Patriots tap Cam Newton to fill Tom Brady's cleats . . . It appears Cam Newton has found a new home -- with a team that just gave up its megastar quarterback. The former NFL MVP has signed a 1-year deal with the New England Patriots. The deal is said to be worth up to $7.5 million. Newton, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, led the Carolina Panthers to three straight NFC South titles from 2013-15, and a
Super Bowl appearance during the 2015 season when he was awarded the league MVP. He also earned three Pro Bowls in nine seasons. Fox News
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UK PM Boris Johnson warns fat Britons to lose weight . . . Boris Johnson is ditching his libertarian instincts and considering state interventions to tackle the U.K.’s high obesity levels. The coronavirus crisis has persuaded Johnson that ministers have a duty to address excess
weight as a major health issue, he told Times Radio on Monday. “I have taken a very libertarian stance on obesity,” Johnson said. “But actually when you look at the numbers, when you look at the pressure on the NHS, compare, I’m afraid, this wonderful country of ours to other European countries, we are significantly fatter than most.” Bloomberg
Okay, what's next, forcing them all to get braces for their teeth?
Sacha Baron Cohen pranks right-wing event . . . Sacha Baron Cohen gatecrashed a right-wing event in Olympia, Washington while posing as a racist country singer — where he encouraged the crowd to chant along to lyrics about liberals getting “chopped up” or “injected with the Wuhan flu,” viral footage shows. Dressed as a pot-bellied singer in denim dungarees and a cowboy hat, the “Borat” comedian tricked organizers of Saturday’s event by
the “Three Percenters." Footage shows Cohen singing about “mask wearers” getting injected with the “Wuhan flu.” He also wished the same for “sushi eaters” — and worse for “Chinese people,” singing that they should “nuke them up like in World War II.” New York Post
Prostitution in Amsterdam done with lockdown . . . Amsterdam’s red light district just got the green light to emerge from its coronavirus shutdown. Dutch prime minister Mark Rutte said sex workers could get back to the grind beginning Wednesday, as daily reported COVID-19 deaths in The Netherlands fell to the single digits. “It’s a contact job like the hairdresser and masseur, and so they need to ask in advance if [clients] have any symptoms,”
Rutte cautioned. The prime minister said he’d requested information “about which positions were possible and which weren’t” from the Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment — “but there was no further explanation.” New York Post
Weird. You used to have to pay good money for a lockdown in the red light district
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Keith Koffler
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